The incorporation of additives into polymers are known in the art. There has been extensive use of additives, such as antifog agents, antioxidants, plasticisers, stabilizers, infra-red absorbers, biocides, flame retardants, fillers, lubricants, non-ionic surfactants, etc., in polymer technology. Such additives may be in the form of, for example, liquids, pastes, waxy low-melting solutions, or solids.
Plastics are electrically insulative and may generate and accumulate static electricity by contact or friction with material or by being peeled from a material during production or use thereof. Plastics having high electrical conductivity are able to avoid the accumulation of electricity and therefore are antistatic. Optically transparent electrically conductive coatings are known in the art for use in display devices, photoconductive components, and solar photovolaic cells. U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,216 discusses films containing zinc oxide particles as additives. U.S. Pat. No. 5,300,575 discusses plastic films containing polythiophene compounds having high electrical conductivity.
Some antistatic coatings fail to conduct electricity under relatively low humidity. For example, antistatic coatings comprising ionic conductors dispersed in organic matrices typically require water to conduct electricity. Charge is transported in the presence of water and conduction of electricity may stop when the antistatic coating is placed under approximately 20% relative humidity. Unlike ionic conductors, an electrically conducting organic material, such as polythiophene, dispersed in an organic matrix is capable of conducting electricity below about 20% humidity. Conduction of electricity may occur when the organic matrix containing the electrically conductive organic polymer is placed in a relatively dry environment because electrons move through conjugated double bonds located within the polymer backbone. However, an organic matrix comprising an electrically conductive organic polymer may be easily scratched limiting the use of the polymer under certain circumstances.